Joey and Lauren - The Beginning Or The End
by lozxtitchx
Summary: After finding out the news that David Witts is leaving EastEnders, I decided to do a two-part shot of how Joey leaves the Square. Sad ending first of him leaving without Lauren, and then happy ending of him leaving with her...
1. Chapter 1

As I continued to pack my bags, organising to leave the Square, the need to go and see Lauren heightened. I had to say goodbye to her, maybe also ask her if she was willing to come with me, willing to give us another chance, even after everything. Zipping up the bag, I made my way downstairs and placed it in the hallway. Taking one last look around the house I'd called home for the past six months, I left, shutting the door behind me and posting the key through the letterbox. Placing my bag onto my shoulder, my eyes were drawn to the left, watching as Lauren left number 5. As if by magic, she stopped mid-way and her eyes locked with mine. Smiling at her weakly, I began to walk, making my way over to her…

LAUREN'S POV:

"Having a clear-out?" I questioned, motioning to the bag on Joey's shoulder

"You could say that" he admitted "how you doing?"

"Not too bad" I replied "how about you? How's Alice?"

"I'm good. Alice, not so much" he informed me "I wish there was something I could do"

"I know this sounds harsh but it was her choice to do what she did" I stated#

He nodded his head in agreement, smiling at me weakly… "I should probably tell you now, because I'll just regret it if I don't"

"Tell me what?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him

"I'm not having a clear- out. I'm leaving, Lauren" he admitted

"Leaving?" I asked

"Yeah. I'm gonna go back to Mum's to start with, and then who knows" he explained

"Is this because of everything that's happened between me and you?" I inquired

"Partly. And what else is there left for me here now Alice has gone?" he questioned

"What if I said I still loved you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him

"And what if I asked you to come with me?" he inquired

"Can you not just stay here?" I questioned

"I'll take that as a no then" he sighed "bye, Lauren"

"Joey, wait" I proclaimed, hurrying after him

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me as I reached him

"Do I not even get a kiss goodbye?" I inquired, swallowing the lump in my throat, my nerves building

"That's not a good idea, babe" he replied

"Do you still love me?" I inquired, stepping towards him, playing with the lapels of his jacket

He sighed heavily and nodded his head, signalling yes, a gasp escaping my lips as he brought his hand up and tucked some hair behind my ear…

"Actions always have spoke louder than words" I chuckled, trying to fight the tears in my eyes

"I love you" he whispered, resting his forehead against mine

"I love you too" I mirrored. Glancing at his eyes momentarily, I threw caution to the wind, all rational thoughts flying out the window as I brushed my nose against his and caught his lips with mine, needing to kiss him one last time…

Joey's arms wound around my waist, mine slipping beneath the material of his jacket, running up his back as he pulled me closer to him…

"I wish that could've been a reason for me to stay" he admitted as he pulled away

"Me too" I mirrored "you know no-one will replace you, right?"

He nodded his head, signalling yes… "And no-one will replace you for me"

"I'm yours" I informed him

"And you're mine" he replied

Letting my eyes shut of their own accord as Joey's lips pressed against my forehead, I savoured it, savoured the last touch of his as his hand gripped my arm tightly, but not enough to hurt. Opening them, I watched as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder and turned away from me, walking down the market. Watching him until he was out of sight, I finally let the tears fall…


	2. Chapter 2

**If you hadn't worked it out, the first part was the sad ending of how Joey could leave the Square, and now onto the happy ending…**

JOEY'S POV:

Alice, Alice of all people had been sentenced to five years in prison for murdering Michael Moon. Why she hadn't let me take the rap for her when I'd said I would I don't know. Now, without her here, I was stuck in Walford for no reason. She was gone, Lauren was gone and I hardly spoke to or saw any of the family anymore, everything having gone downhill since Christmas when Derek had died.

LAUREN'S POV:

For hours now I'd been umming and ahing about whether to go over and see how Joey was following Alice's sentencing, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, mostly because I was in shock myself. Alice, my normally kind, gentle and loving cousin had killed someone! It just goes to show how crazy love can make you…

"Why don't you go over and see him?" Abi suggested as she walked into the living room

"Go and see who?" I questioned, turning to face her, raising an eyebrow

"The person who's house you've been staring at for the past hour" she replied

"He won't wanna see me" I sighed, sitting down on the sofa, reaching for the TV remote

"You don't know that" she replied, taking the remote from my grasp

"Too much has happened between us. I can't just waltz over pretending I care now" I stated

"But you won't be pretending, will you?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow at me

"You're not gonna stop getting on at me until I go, are you?" I asked

She shook her head, signalling no… "And you won't stop thinking about him until you go either"

Sighing heavily, I stood up and made my way out of the living room, pulling my coat onto my body… "Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it" she replied, smiling at me reassuringly

"Thanks" I stated nervously, grabbing my keys from the table, leaving the house

JOEY'S POV:

There'd been a knocking at the door for the past five minutes and I'd chose to ignore it, not wanting to see or speak to anybody, all that changing however when I heard Lauren's voice…

"Come on, Joey, let me in" she sighed "I know you're in there and I'm not going anywhere until you let me see you're okay. I don't care if I do get frostbite or pneumonia"

Smiling weakly at her silly comments, I stood up from the sofa and made my way into the hallway, opening the door to her…

"Thank God" she proclaimed, pushing her way inside, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm up

"What do you want, Lauren?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at her as I shut the front door

"Exactly what I said just before you let me in" she informed me

"Well as you can see, I'm fine and dandy. You can go now" I replied

"Joey" she sighed, following me back into the living room

"What?" I inquired

"Talk to me" she begged

"You know I'm no good with words" I sighed

"Just say how you feel then" she suggested, sitting down next to me

"I'm pissed at her" I admitted "if she'd have let me take the rap for her then she'd be here and not wallowing in a grotty prison cell"

"You were gonna take the rap for her? Joey, why?" she questioned, shocked

"What's here for me to stick around for?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at her

"Plenty" she proclaimed "your job, your family, your friends, me"

"I don't have you though, do I?" I asked "you're with Jake"

She swallowed a lump in her throat and sighed… "No I'm not. He went back to his wife"

"I'm sorry" I replied, smiling at her weakly

"Are you really?" she asked

"Yeah, you know how much I hate seeing you hurt" I informed her

Smiling at me warmly, she entwined her hand with mine… "I'm here for you, Joey, you know that. What're you gonna do now?"

"I don't think Albert Square's the place for me" I admitted

"So you're gonna leave?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow

"Yeah" I informed her "I think it'd be best for everyone"

"What about us?" she inquired, stroking her thumb across my knuckle

"What about us?" I questioned "I think we both know too much has happened"

"Here, maybe. But not somewhere completely new where no-one knows us" she replied

"If I asked you to come with me, what would you say?" I asked

"No" she informed me

"Well that's that then, isn't it?" I questioned

"But then I'd kick myself for being so stupid, change my mind hoping it wasn't too late and say yes, because I love you, Joey, and I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else" she admitted

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at her

She nodded her head, signalling yes… "I don't care where we go, as long as we're together"

Smiling widely at her, I captured her lips with mine, a moan escaping both our lips, a moan we'd been containing for far too long. Bringing my hand up to cup her cheek, I tilted her head to the side, slipping my tongue between her parted lips…

LAUREN'S POV:

"You're what?" Dad asked as I told him the news about Joey and I

"Please don't be angry, Dad" I begged "you know how much I love Joey"

"I just don't want him to hurt my baby girl again" he admitted, sighing heavily

"We've both done a lot of growing up whilst we've been apart" I informed him "and I wasn't the only one to get hurt. He did too, remember? My drinking took it's toll on him as much as it did on me"

"I suppose he is better than that Jake" he replied, smiling weakly at me

"Yeah" I chuckled "so, what do you say, Dad? Do I have your permission?"

He nodded his head, signalling yes… "As long as you're happy and sure?"

"I am, Dad, I really, really am" I admitted

23rd November – one year to the day, Joey and I had tried to move away to start a new life together, but this time it was different, this time there was no drunken me behind the wheel, no running away, no hiding secrets, it was just me, Joey and the open road, seeing where it would take us…


End file.
